May 19, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1429

PESHAWAR, May 18: The provincial health department is considering amendment to the rules of business to hand over power of posting and transferring BPS-17 and 18 officials to the director-general (DG) health services.

“The plan is part of the efforts by the health minister to get things quickly done. At present the health minister is required to order many officials at the health secretariat, which is some what cumbersome process,” sources claimed, adding that once the posting/transfer issue become domain of the director-general health services, then the health minister would be able to get his orders obeyed through a single call of telephone.

According to the sources, cases pertaining to posting, transfer, leave and deputation of doctors were tackled usually by the director-general health, but the previous government deprived the DG of that power and entrusted it to the health secretariat. Soon, the directorate of health became deserted and the secretariat became ‘centre of attention’ for doctors and other high-ranking officials of the healthy department.

Meanwhile, the rules of business was amended to make the chief minister enable to deal with the cases of BPS-19 and above officials of the health department. Sources said that Health Minister Syed Zahir Ali Shah didn’t have smooth sailing due to interference by the chief minister in posting/transfers of BPS-19 and above officers. Mr Shah, who belongs to the PPP, a coalition partner of the ANP, had informed his party high command in this regard.

Recently, posting and transfers of some executive district officers (health) and other important posts were reportedly filed up by doctors affiliated with the ANP. The sources said that the health minister, who was under pressure from the doctors affiliated with the PPP, wanted to change the rules to accommodate them.

“Therefore, it has been planned to entrust the power to deal with BPS-17 and 18 cases to the director-general health, who will oblige the health minister in minutes,” sources said. The plan was the brainchild of the PPP affiliated doctors, but some officers at the secretariat could create problems in this regard, they added.

Another reshuffle in the health sector has been finalised and about 35 doctors would be transferred soon, the sources said. They said that the secretariat required framing rules and providing guidelines for implementation of health programmes, but of late it had assumed the role of posting/transfers.